civilized ku # 794 ~ living (in) Art
Friday, December 10, 2010 at 10:36AM 
Bedroom door ~ Au Sable Forks, NY - in the Adirondack PARK • click to embiggenUnbeknownst to the wife, I have been working on a picture project that I find quite interesting. It's a bit unusual for me inasmuch as it fails under the heading of Installation Art.
For those not familiar with Installation Art, it is an artistic genre of site-specific, (normally) 3-dimensional works that are intended to transform the perception of a space - in most cases, interior space.
One of the "problems", albeit not regarded as such, with IA is that it is site-specific and therefore not portable to other sites. And, much of IA is temporary in nature - it's installed in a specific place for a limited amount of time. When it's time is up, that's all she wrote. Other than pictures of the installation and/or memories of it, it passes out of existence - here today, gone tomorrow.
My IA project is indeed intended to change the perception of a space. In fact, it is intended to change the perception of multiple spaces - that is to say, every room in our house. However, unlike traditional IA practices, my project employs 2-dimensional works, intended to be permanent, in order to change or, at the very least, enhance the perception of those spaces.
In any event, what I have been doing, over the past year or so (and continuing, ever and anon), has been making pictures of glimpses of parts of every room in our house. From those pictures, I will select one picture from each room that will be printed (24×24 inches) and displayed in that room - one picture for every room in the house.
My intention is rather simple - to render the visible to make it very visible. To picture the real to make it very real.
IMO, it will be a very interesting exercise. From the picture making point of view, it has already been quite interesting and has generated some very captivating pictures. That said, I am very much looking forward to getting the pictures on the walls and looking at / listening to people's reaction to them.
Add to that, the idea that there is always the possibility that it could be a nearly near-ending project. Over time, things change, not to mention the fact that everyday and every season brings changes in light and mood. The picture making opportunities are, quite literally, endless.
All of that should be quite interesting but what I find particularly intriguing is the fact that the pictures and the display thereof, relative to their intent, will be very site-specific. A viewer will have to be in my home in order to experience it. The installation will never be moved to a gallery, a museum, or any other site. It's my/our house or nothing.
The pictures - although they might make for a decent gallery exhibit in and of themselves - will, nevertheless, by the nature of their intent, be forever irrevocably wedded to the house in which they were created. And, by the nature of the project's intent, my house will become a piece of Installation Art.
I can live with that. Sure hope the wife can as well.
gravitas et nugalis
Featured Comment: Ken Bello wrote: "I like this idea. Can I steal it?
my response: of course you can steal it but be sure to contact my Copyright, Patent, Licensing & Franchising Department before you do. I'm certain that we can work something out. Just mail your enquiries (and donations) to me ...
The Landscapist
Under the Bridge
On the way to Ward Lumber, NY
Reader Comments (2)
Neat idea. I've seen a number of your interior house images (on the blog) and there's some well-made images there.
I've had a similar idea, but just one interesting shot of say the lounge / entertainment area, to be hung in said area. It would be more of an in-joke, to see how long it takes a visitor to realise the picture on the wall is the same space as what they are standing in. My theory is that the friends who are into photography would spot the ruse quickly whereas the non-photographers (being less observant?) might take a little longer ;-).
I like this idea. Can I steal it?